Alcoholism
Alcohol effects more people than diabetes, lung cancer, or heart attacks and kills over 100,00 people every year!
Alcoholism is a chronic, often progressive disease that can be fatal. The condition involves a preoccupation with alcohol and impaired control over alcohol intake. The alcoholic may continue to abuse alcohol despite serious adverse health, personal, work-related and financial consequences. Alcoholism usually involves physical dependence on the drug alcohol, but genetic, psychological and social factors contribute to this addiction.
It's possible to have a problem with alcohol, but not display all the characteristics of alcoholism. This is known as "alcohol abuse," which means the alcoholic may engage in excessive drinking that results in health, work related, or social problems, but hasen't become dependent on alcohol and hasn't fully lost control over the use of alcohol.
Some signs of Alcoholism are:
- Being secretive about drinking.
- Lying about alcohol use.
- Hiding alcohol or empty bottles.
- Anxiety in situations where alcohol is not available.
- Memory blackouts.
- Being late for meetings or important appointments.
- "Forgetting" work related, social obligations or family responsibilities.
- Engaging in risky behavior when drinking (for example, driving).
- Calling in "sick" frequently.
- Often looking, smelling and feeling bad.
- Denying that alcohol is a problem.
- Withdrawal symptoms if alcohol is withheld
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